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Carswell to speak before state Senate

• A city ordinance allows government entities to charge for services rendered in traffic accidents.

J.D. Sumner

ALBANY — Albany Fire Chief James Carswell will speak to the Georgia Senate today in an attempt to thwart efforts by legislators to cut off funds used to ease the burden on taxpayers when fire and other units respond to traffic crashes.

Known as Senate Bill 348, the bill would make it illegal for government entities such as the Albany fire department to charge the insurance companies of people at fault in motor-vehicle crashes for their services.

From the lawmakers’ perspective, the bill would prevent taxpayers, who already pay for fire and EMS services through their property taxes, to be taxed again in the form of increased insurance premiums.

Carswell, speaking on behalf of the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, believes that its not fair for all taxpayers to pay for equipment used because of one or two people.

According to Carswell, city leaders adopted the ordinance to charge those at fault in car crashes to help offset rising costs to equipment.

The money made, according to Carswell, didn’t go back into the general fund but to a special fund to replace worn equipment or to pay for repairs.

“By having this special fund, we spare the majority of the taxpayers from having to pay for extricating equipment or bumper hoses that would otherwise have to come out of the general fund,” Carswell said.

Tuesday, the GAFC asked Carswell to head to Atlanta for a Wednesday address to the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee, which is debating the bill.

“I’ve asked other fire chiefs from around the area to come and speak with me to the senators about the bill,” Carswell said.

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